Navy ROTC / Navy JROTC

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ROTC Commissioning Ceremony December 17, 2010

By NLUS (Navy League of the United States)

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Maj. Bill Barker assumes full command

By Andrea Schoellkopf, Albuquerque Journal Staff Writer

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

With military programs booming in Albuquerque schools, the city's Junior ROTC now has its own commander-in-chief.

This summer, Maj. Bill Barker - the go-to guy for high schoolers aspiring to military academy careers - took a new district job overseeing Albuquerque Public Schools military programs.

APS officials hope Barker's new position will allow him to bring to other schools the resounding success he has had at La Cueva.

"With the growth in programs, we need a centralized" command, APS associate superintendent Eddie Soto said, referring to the recent addition of two new high schools and the advent of military-style leadership programs in middle schools like Washington, Ernie Pyle, Van Buren, Garfield and Harrison. There are about 1,400 Junior ROTC students at Albuquerque's 13 traditional high schools, with five Marine programs, four Air Force, three Navy and one Army program. Barker said he wants to see the Army better represented.

Barker comes from a Marine tradition - his grandfather was bayonetted in the throat in France in World War I. Barker spent 25 years in the Marines and another 19 heading up JROTC programs.

He had been the Eldorado JROTC instructor, with La Cueva students coming over to take his class and some transferring schools to be with Barker. The La Cueva principal at the time asked him to come to her school in 1996 to help set up a program, and he transformed the school's auto shop into a JROTC indoor shooting range.

Although Barker said he wanted to start out with 30 to 40 students at La Cueva, 80 signed up the first day. "It's not just inner-city, hard-core kids that need ROTC," he said.

While getting kids into the academies and having them become squadron leaders is as exciting as it comes, Barker said, it starts way before that, when the young freshmen join up and maybe march in a State Fair parade. "A high school with 2,000 students is a big, scary place for a little ninth-grader," Barker said. JROTC is "a place they can go immediately and have 100 friends."

Instructors don't discipline their students, but "we teach them to discipline themselves, to become more responsible."

As the district's longest-serving instructor, Barker has helped to identify retired military members as potential instructors for Albuquerque's high schools. He has coordinated summer programs and camps, drawing kids from around the city, to help recruit and train for high school programs.

And he's made himself available to students in other schools who want extra help for academy admissions. Former JROTC student James Keith said it wasn't unusual to see students from other schools hanging out in the La Cueva classroom at the end of the day.

"We had kids from Rio Rancho, everywhere from around the city," said Keith, who is now a freshman at University of New Mexico's ROTC program. "Because of him, I'm looking at a military career. I want to fly helicopters."

School board member Robert Lucero sent his son, Gavin, then a senior at Cibola High, to Barker when he first talked about joining the military. He said Gavin went to La Cueva after school to work with Barker, and eventually was accepted into West Point.

"I'd like to see some kids from some of the other schools get some opportunities," Barker said. "That's part of why I'm going" to work at the district level.

While other schools in Albuquerque also have had success getting students into military academies, part of Barker's success is a class that works with juniors and seniors on résumé writing, the application process and essays.

"He prepares his students to be able to meet the criteria and the qualifications for all academies, not just the Air Force," said Judy Ortiz-Aragon, the Air Force Academy liaison officer and UNM Air Force ROTC recruiter. She says she is seeing that class being started at other APS schools this year.

Over the last 14 years, 60 of Barker's students have been admitted into military academies, which are among the most difficult to get into.

"He's got huge bragging rights," Ortiz-Aragon said.

Kara Burd-Walker, whose daughter is a La Cueva sophomore, said she was amazed at the number of people who knew Barker when she chaperoned the rifle team's trips across the country. "The man is an incredible networking tool," Burd-Walker said. "He knows everyone and everything in regards to this program. The connections he has are boundless. We can't go into another state without someone knowing Maj. Barker."

Maj. Mark Hendricks, who commands the Naval JROTC program at West Mesa, said the military branches take care of equipment, uniforms and half the salaries, but Barker can help in a lot of the neglected areas, in particular classrooms and facilities.

"He does so much for the quality of the programs districtwide, as well as helping those programs thrive and flourish," Hendricks said.

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October 2010, CAPT LAWRENCE E. OLSEN, Sr., USN, reported to the University of New Mexico NROTC to serve as the Commanding Officer

By NLUS (Navy League of the United States)

Captain Olsen began his Navy career with his enlistment as a Radioman in Dec 1975. Upon graduation from RM ‘A’ school, in July of 1976, he attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, RI. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1981 with a B.S. in Chemistry and reported back to Newport for Surface Warfare Officer School, Basic.

USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69) was his first of five ships. He spent three years there as Assistant ‘A’ Division Officer, 5th Division (Deck) Officer, and Assistant Safety Officer. Next was his tour as Fire Control Officer onboard USS VIRGINIA (CGN-38), during the installation of the first CGN SM-2 (CNO project 731) and Tomahawk missile systems and CIWS and the subsequent Op Test & Eval. Upon completion of that tour, LT Olsen reported to USS AUSTIN (LPD-4) as CIC Officer. After 15 months in AUSTIN, he went back to NETC Newport’s SWOSCOLCOM for Dept. Head School.

His first Dept. Head tour was as Weapons Officer in USS TRIPPE (FF-1075), home ported in Newport. Next, he reported to USS PENSACOLA (LSD-38) as First Lieutenant during Desert Storm. Finally, he reported to COMPHIBRON TEN where he was the Assistant for Amphibious Readiness until he separated from active duty and affiliated with Naval Reserve Unit CINCLANTFLT Det 206. He was promoted to LCDR shortly thereafter.

On the civilian side, Mr. Olsen then spent three years working in Alexandria, VA as Senior Systems Engineer and Facility Security Officer for High Technology Solutions, Inc. HTS, a disadvantaged small business (8A), performed the majority of its work for the Department of the Navy in support of Weapons Ranges in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

In May 1995, then-LCDR Olsen returned to temporary active duty on Active Duty for Special Work (ADSW) orders, as assistant Director for Surface & Subsurface Warfare (N722), initially for 90 days. This period stretched to nine months and even included a brief stint (45 days) as Interim Flag Secretary to COMTRALANT. For work during this timeframe, LCDR Olsen was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal.

Upon completion of this ADSW period, LCDR Olsen changed back into civilian clothes and stepped into the Assistant for Joint Training (CLF N721A) billet as a Civil Servant. As part of his joint training duties, he supervised the standing up of the modeling and simulation suite at Dam Neck from which various CARGRU and CRUDESGRU staffs acted as Naval Forces Commander during Unified Endeavor exercises.

He pinned on Commander in the Reserves in June 1998. His Naval Reserve billets include: NR CINCLANTFLT Det 206 (logistics), NR CINCLANTFLT Det 106 (training), NR NAVBASE Norfolk (logistics), Commanding Officer of NR Fleet Training Center, Norfolk, NR PMS AEGIS Det 106 and NR LOGISTICS TASK FORCE ATLANTIC.

CDR Olsen completed the three-year Naval War College non-Resident program Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase 1 in June 1999. In July 1999, he began a 251-day ADSW tour at the Armed Forces Staff College, where he co-developed the pilot course for Reserve Component (RC) JPME, while simultaneously attending the JCSOS JPME Phase 2 for active duty personnel. Shortly after graduation from AFSC, he began yet another ADSW tour, this time at U.S. Joint Forces Command, coordinating Focused Logistics Wargame issues in the J4 directorate.

Upon completion of six months at J4, he returned to the Joint Forces Staff College (Previously AFSC) to continue development and teach the pilot RC JPME web-enabled course. In Oct 2002, Mr. Olsen returned to his Civil Service job at Commander U.S. Atlantic Fleet/Commander Fleet Forces Command (CFFC), working Training Resource issues. Based on his completion of the Naval War College core curriculum and the JFSC Phase 2 curriculum, the Naval War College awarded him his Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies in June of 2003.

Shortly thereafter, he was mobilized in support of OIF/OEF to work logistics with CTF53 in Bahrain, but almost immediately after arrival there, was notified of his recall to full active duty and reassignment as Deputy for the Joint Advisory Division for one year at the U.S. Military Training Mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For three months of this period, he was the interim Chief of Staff for USMTM.

After his year in Saudi Arabia, CDR Olsen was promoted to Captain, and transferred to US Strategic Command, where he served as Deputy to the Plans Division. As a collateral duty, CAPT Olsen spent six months working TAD in the Quadrennial Defense Review Integration Office as Liaison Officer between USSTRATCOM and the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD). After this task, he was picked to be head of the Global Operations Task Force team overseeing nuclear stockpile reduction. Upon completion of his QDR work, he was transferred to the Joint Forces Component Commander for Global Strike and Integration, where he stood as Battle Watch Commander in the Global Operations Center. Based on his completion of JPME Phases 1 & 2 and his joint tour at USSTRATCOM, CAPT Olsen was designated a Joint Specialty Officer in Nov 2006. At his planned rotation date, CAPT Olsen transferred to the Naval War College as a Military Professor of Strategy and Policy.

In October 2010, CAPT Olsen reported to the University of New Mexico NROTC to serve as the Commanding Officer.

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Contact Information for New Mexico ROTC

NROTC

University of New Mexico
http://nrotc.unm.edu/
CAPT Lawrence E. Olsen, Sr.
CDR Hunt
720 Yale Blvd Ne (87131)
(505)277-7028
(505)277-4501

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Contact Information for New Mexico High Schools' JROTC

Navy

Belen High School
LCDR Stephen White
MSC Magallanes
1619 W Delgado (87002)
(505)550-6893
(505)966-1350


Gadsden High School
LT Dickerson
CPO Arms
6301 Hwy 28, Anthony Nm (88021)
(505)882-6328
(505)882-3689


Highland High School
MAJ Finney
MCPO Ortega
4700 Coal Ave Sw (87108)
(505)265-3711
(505)348-8503


Los Alamos High School
LCDR Shumaker
Oscs Cook
1300 Diamond Drive (87544)
(505)662-5141
(505)663-2786


Manzano High School
LTCOL Forester
QMC Leyba
12200 Lomas Blvd Ne (87112)
(505)559-2292
(505)291-6854


Onate High School
CDR Dixon
MCPO Duran
6800 Ne Main Las Cruces, Nm (88011)
575 527-9430
(505)527-9444


Santa Fe High School
LCDR Hornak
MMCS Plowman
2100 Yucca Rd (87505)
(505)467-2835
(505)467-2836


Santa Teresa High School
CAPT Valencia
CWO4 Gallegos
100 Airport Rd (88008)
575 589-5345
575 589-1603


West Mesa High School
MAJ Hendricks
CPO Dewitt
6701 Fortuna Rd Nw 87107
(505)831-6993
(505)836-7756

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Marines

Cibola High School
CWO2 Flores
SGTMAJ Faiseu
1510 Ellison Nw (87114)
(505)898-0842


Eldorado High School
MAJ Jim Koerber
1STSGT Archuleta
11300 Montgomery Blvd Ne (87111)
(505)296-4871
(505)291-6803


Grants High School
1STSGT Matteson
GYSGT Garcia
PO Box 8 (87020)
(505)285-6013


La Cueva High School
MAJ Barker
1STSGT Griego
7801 Wilshire Ne (87122)
(505)797-3714
(505)857-0177


Laguna-Acoma High School
SM Emillio E Barela
PO box 689, Casa Blanca (87007)
(505)552-0051


Rio Grande High School
SGTMAJ Gallegos
GYSGT Flores
2300 Arenal Sw (87105)
(505)877-6952


Rio Rancho High School
MAJ Walter Finney
MSGT Phil Carter
301 Loma Colorado Blvd (87124)
(505)896-5768
(505)897-5909


Shiprock High School
1STSGT Bratcher
MSGT Johnston
PO Box 3578 (87240)
(505)368-5164
(505)368-5796


Atrisco Heritage Academy
GYSGT Jim Flores
10800 Dennis Chaves Blvd
(505)263-8609
(505)715-2355

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Sea Cadets

Bataan Military Academy
Raymond Griffith
8001 Mountain Road Pl Ne (87110)
(505)292-5588